The Essential JesusSample

The Generous Landowner

PRAY: Lord God, sometimes I wonder how I could make my relationship with you more real and vital. I ask you to show me ways to do that today.

READ: Matthew 20:1-16

REFLECT: The punch line of the parable of the generous landowner is familiar to most people (v. 16). You might hear it quoted as a joke when someone cuts into line at a church supper. "Well, you know, the last will be first, and the first will be last." But the parable and its point were no joke to Jesus. Through them, he was communicating another important point about the kingdom of heaven (v. 1). What did he have in mind?

The parable seems easy to understand at first: workers are hired at different points throughout the day with the promise of fair wages at the end. The suspense builds as the early birds anticipate how much overtime pay they might collect. But that's where the plot gets complicated; everyone receives the same amount. Those who worked twelve hours are paid the same as those who worked one. Now we are really confused. Is the landowner fair or unfair? Is he a rich oppressor or a heartless communist?

But Jesus is using this seeming unfairness to make his point. The kingdom of heaven cannot be earned; it's a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Instead of calling this "the parable of the workers in the vineyard," it might be more accurate to call it "the parable of the generous landowner" (v. 15). That's because Jesus was saying our salvation is dependent on God's generosity, not on our good works.

That was a tough message for the religious experts of Jesus' day to accept. After all, they led the chosen people. They scrupulously followed all God's commands and regulations. If anyone deserved to get into the kingdom of heaven, it was them. But religion based on human effort and earning salvation leads away from God and into pride.

The truth is that God wants everyone to enjoy the benefits of his kingdom. Instead of grumbling about who deserves to be in or out (vv. 11-12), the workers would have done better to celebrate with the generous landowner at the end of the day. That's what it will be like in the kingdom of heaven.

APPLY: Which image best describes your view of the Christian faith: a rule book or a Christmas gift? Why?

PRAY: Lord Jesus, I can never repay you for what you did on the cross, but I am very, very grateful.